The Record's laughing stock spins another fictional tale

A bus emerging from the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey late one afternoon, above, as empty NJ Transit commuter buses jam the Route 495 helix on the way into the city to pick up North Jerseyans waiting in long lines at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan, below.

What New Jersey commuters encounter most of all when they leave the terminal's Eighth Avenue exit in the morning are homeless panhandlers. Few pay attention to the statue of TV's Ralph Kramden on the way home, despite the silly Road Warrior column in The Record today.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

To address worsening delays faced by North Jersey commuters waiting for their buses home weekday afternoons, The Record sent reporter John Cichowski to spin a fictional tale outside the bus terminal in Manhattan.

It's hard to imagine that a commuter anticipating a long delay on a crowded bus platform -- and maybe even standing the whole way home -- would regard a statue of TV's Ralph Kramden as "a bright spot" (Road Warrior column on A-1).

If they even notice the statue as they race by it into the terminal and up the escalators to get on line and wait, wait, wait ....

"People have been complaining for more than a decade about the service [in the terminal]," Cichowski writes, without explaining why he has been doing his column for more than a decade and only recently started writing about the delays (A-8).

His column is also the first mention I've seen of "those people fainting in extra-long lines in waiting areas without air conditioning on summer afternoons" (A-1).

The Port Authority Bus Terminal -- not "station," as he refers to it on Page 1 -- and most, if not all, of the platforms are enclosed and air-conditioned.

Cichowksi as the Road Warrior has become a laughing stock after years of confused reporting on driving issues and an inability to get anything right.

Home-rule woes

Another story on the front page today -- allegations of physical assault against Bogota Mayor Tito Jackson -- makes you wonder why North Jersey residents seem so content with being ruled by morons (A-1).

For decades, The Record has defended, as well as largely ignored, the home-rule system of government -- with its duplication of services, high property taxes and petty corruption.

Residents have stopped noticing, judging from the small numbers who actually vote in council and school board elections.

Why hasn't the Woodland Park daily reported on the causes of voter apathy locally, in the state and in the nation?

The editors might find out their coverage --which emphasizes politics while ignoring issues -- might be to blame.

We're drowning

The front of Local brings the third straight day of coverage of Ridgewood's Charlotte Samuels, the grossly overweight 16-year-old swimmer who now appears to face competition in her bid to be the youngest to complete the "Triple Crown" (L-1).

That's open-water swimming, not horse racing.

An 18-year-old college student from Australia, Lachlan Hinds, has completed the three long-distance swims, including the 20.2-mile Catalina Channel in California, according to swimming reporter Abbott Koloff.

Hinds did it in 9 hours and 31 minutes -- less than half Samuel's 20 hours and 20 minutes.